[R-390] New Guy

[mikea]

On Tue, Jan 27, 2004 at 12:31:39PM -0600, Lee Bahr wrote:
> 
> Well, I'm here!  I have a R390A that I bought at a hamfest a year ago and
> need to get it working!  I don't have a clue what needs to be done with it
> as I have not fooled with it as yet.  It does not look beat up and the front
> panel looks good.  Without going into it, I see no corrossion.  Been into
> boat anchors a long time, but this thing frankly does intimidate me!  As you
> know, this is a LOT of radio. I know nothing about working on a R390A.  It
> was made by the Electronic Assistance Corp and has a serieal number on it of
> 4002.  Fortunately, it has the meters and top and bottom covers.  I have dug
> into a lot of radios, but this one does scare me.  Sure wish there was a
> mentor in Houston for encouragement.  I have never needed one for other
> radios.  It would be great to have it running.  (I did use one when I was in
> the Army back in 1957). I guess I need to find a maintenance manual
> somewhere.  (I have a Variac, scope, RF generator, analog volt/ohm meters,
> digital meters, tube testor, solder irons and some rosin core solder, but no
> guts)!
> signed,
> Trembling in His Boots in Houston
> Lee, w0vt

The Y2K Guide to the R-390A is Absolutely Wonderful, and Absolutely
Free. And the manuals also are available on the web. This group is the
best place in the world for advice, hints, and kinks. Just be a bit
careful about grabbing the B+. I don't work without a safety observer,
but YMMV.

<heresy>

There are better receivers, but not many, and the the sand-state 
better receivers are a bit fragile around the front-end. 

</heresy>

You list just about everything you need, except for sidecutters and 
Bristol screwdrivers. 

Bits and pieces are available from Fair Radio and other sources, so 
you can replace most anything you fsck up, and it's nice to have 
spares -- but it's not all that hard to work on, either, and it's 
pick-up-one-end-and-drop-it-and-the-CW-tone-stays-constant stable.
Think of it as the Nikon F of radio receivers. 

So: Amen! Dig In!

-- 
Mike Andrews
mikea@mikea.ath.cx
Tired old sysadmin